Means and method for filling and closing containers



June 14, 1938. G. A. MOORE 2,120,906

MEANS AND METHOD FOR FILLING AND CLOSING CONTAINERS Filed April 25, 1956 2 Sheets-sheaf 1 INVENTOR ATTO RN EY June 14,1938. RE 2,120,90

MEANS AND METHOD FOR FILLING AND CLOSING CONTAINERS Filed April 25, 1936 2 Shee'tS-ShM-Et 2 III 35 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented June 14, 1938 UNITED STATES MEAN S AND METHOD FOR FILLING AND CLOSING CONTAINERS George Arlington Moore, Louisville, Ky., assignor to Humoco Corporation, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Delaware Application April 25,- 1936, Serial No. 76,437

16 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of packaging commodities and more particularly to container closures and to a method and means for packing materials of a non-fluid nature in a container constituted of fibrous and/or metallic materials and forming said closures. I I

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel method for filling and packing a container and sealing the open end thereof, whereby the sealing of the open endof the filled container may be carried out while the container is supported in a horizontal or any other suitable or desirable position.

' Another'object is to provide novel apparatus adapted for use in packing a non-fluid material in a container whereby the packing plunger is 'not contaminated and wastage of the material resulting from the packing operation is eliminated. v I

A further object is to provide a novel method and means for filling 'and sealing a container whereby that portion of the container body which forms part of the seal is not contaminated during the filling and packing operation by the material with which the container is filled.

Another object is to provide a novel" method for packaging materials whereby a treated portion of the inner walls of the container for 'said materials is protectd against contamination by the material.

Still another object is to provide a container having novel secondary closure means in combination therewith which may be readily in serted therein, rendering it possible to handle the container freely in any desirable position without spilling or disturbing the material with whichthe container is filled.

A still further object is toprovide a novel means andmethod for packing and hermetically sealing materials in a container which is originally fabricatedwith an opening therein having the same dimensions as a cross-section of the The 'aboveand further objects and novel features of the invention willmore fully-appear; from the following detail description when taken 'in connection with the accompanying drawings. ',It

is to be expresslyunderstood; however, that the drawings arev for the purpose of illustration only and are not designed as' a definitionof the limits ofthejinvention; reference being had pri inarily? for latter purpose to the" appended claims. L I. In the drawingswherein like reference charother materials or commodities -;:in containers acters refer to like parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a sectional isometric elevation of a container and parts of the novel apparatus which may be employed in carrying out the method of l the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the container and the parts of Fig. 1 supported on a vibrator;

Fig. 3 is a similar view, partly in section and \i0 with parts broken away, showing the container in position for packing and the reception of a secondary closure member; v I

Fig. 4 is a similar partial view,'on an enlarged scale, illustrating the packing and closure inserting plunger in an intermediate position;

Figure 5 is a partial sectional view showing the secondary closure in operative position, and, Fig. 6 is a sectional isometric elevation of the completed package after packing and sealing.

. The novel container and method comprehended by the present invention and one form of apparatus for practicing said method are, byway of example, illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter described in one of their great variety of applications .in the packaging art, i.--e. in the adaptation thereof to the packaging ofioose, finely-cut tobacco, also highly cased, in acon tainer comprising fibrous materials, saidc'ontainer being oblong in cross-section and formed with an open end through which the tobacco may be inserted. The method of the invention mayof course be-employed in packaging-many which may have practically, any desired "shape and which'may be constituted vby other than fibrous materials, said methodlconsistlng broad ly in filling an open-endedcontainer while protecting the marginalwalls thereof and placing a secondary closure therein to permit free hang dling of the same during the, operation; oft-secureinga permanent closure in the'open end thereof. ;;In' the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated, the'container comprises a body por- -ti on l 0 which 'is'preferably', fabricated frornvone thereof may beuboundftogether' y any suitable plastic adhesive qualities fora purpose to appear ormore blanks of fibrous materials such for example, as paper, fiberboard, orthe IikeQIf a F? laminated, body, is j desired, the various layers Body ID, as shown, is oblongin horizontal cross section, the same having a pair of straight parallel side walls H, H connected by arcuate portions' 12 (Fig. 5). A pair of external grooves l3 and l3',having complementary internal ribs I 4 and M, respectively, are formed in each of.

said side walls adjacent the upper and lower ends of body In without disturbing the shape of marginal portions I5 and I5, that is,-those portions of the body between said grooves and the upper and lower edges thereof. Ribs I, .II' are preferably constituted by a horizontal ledge portion IS, a vertical portion l1, and an angular portion I 8 which joins the side wall of the body and said vertical portion, but the same may take other shapes and may extend throughout the en-' comprises a central portion l9, a peripheral.

flange 20 which engages the inner surface of margin 15', and a rib 2| which joins said central portion and flange and engages ledge iii of rib l4. Margin i5, which, as heretofore pointed out, has a thin, dry coat of thermoplastic lacquer on the inner surface thereof, is flowed or curled into overlapping relation with flange 20 and pressed into intimate contact therewith.

, Heat may be applied to seam I5, 20 during the pressing operation to activate said thermoplastic adhesive or solvoplastic lacquer having adhesive qualities, and permit the same to flow under the application of pressure into the interstices of the fibrous material to thereby weld the engaging plies together forming an hermetic seal. The central portion IQ of the top closure may be scored at 22 without destroying the impermeability thereof and thus provide a frangible hatch which can be broken by digital pressure to form an opening through which the contents of the container may be dispensed. Closure I9, 20 may be drawn from a blank of fibrous materials or, if desired, from a blank comprising fibrous and foil laminations. Any other suitable type of closure may, of course, be employed in lieu of the preferred form above described, and the same may be secured to thewontainer in any of many well known ways. 0

The open ended container thus fabricated may now be filled with any desired material or commodity 23, such, for example, as smoking tobacco, the same being poured into the container through the open end or bottom thereof and pressed therein by a suitable plunger. In order, however, that a head or bottom closure similar to top closure I9, 20 may be inserted in the conhereafter and the outer. coating having a high .gloss. a

as a seat fora permanent closure which may be similar to closure I9, 20.

Novel shielding means are provided for attaining the above desirable results and as shown such means comprise a tubular member 25 having the same general shape in horizontal cross section as body In but with smaller dimensions, the width of the shield preferably being approximately the same as the distance between the inner surfaces of vertical portions ll of ribs l4. Said shield or member may be constructed of any suitable material, preferably a light-weight, substantially rigid material such as metal, and is adapted to be telescopically received by body 10 so that the lower edge thereof contacts or is adjacent to the inner portions of ledges Hi, the

inner surface of the shield being flush with vertical portions H. The upper end of the shield extends beyond the edge of body Ill and is provided with a supportingand positioning flange 26. It will thus be seen that the treated walls of margin l5 will be protected by shield 25 against contamination to thereby preserve the adhesive film thereon and also that the possibility of any particles lodging on ribs l4 and interfering with the insertion of a closure member is obviated. To facilitate the placing of material in. the container, a suitable funnel may be provided, the same, as shown, being constituted by a flared upper portion 21 and a lower portion 28 which is adapted to be telescopically received by shield 25. I

When the desired quantity of loose tobacco or similar material has been poured into funnel 21, 28 and through shield 25, the upper level thereof before packing will ordinarily, in practice, be above theplane of the edge of body I0 and even above the upper edge of shield 25. In order to pack the filling material, the container, together with said funnel and shield, is preferably next placed on, a vibrating machine which may be of the usual or any suitable or desirable construction, theillustrated embodiment of the same comprising a socket 29 in which the container may be inserted, said socket beiiig secured to a vibrating plate 30 mounted on a plurality of Springs 3! that are in turn supported by a frame 32. The vibration ofplate 30 brings about an even distribution and settling of the tobacco in the container, causing the level the eof to move down to a position substantially as s own in Figs. 2 to 4. Since the vibrating means do not per se constitute any part of the present invention, it

' is believed to be'unnecessary to show and describe the same in further detail.

It is now necessary to further press or pack the tobacco into body III to permit the insertion of a bottom closure in the container, and heretofore in the filling of open ended containers this operation has, to the best of my knowledge, been carried out by moving a power operated plunger into direct contact with the tobacco or other commodity being packed in said open ended con-' tainer. -When this is done, however, a large number of the moist or "cased" tobacco particles invariably adhere to the plunger and are withdrawn from the container. Due to the vibration of the machinery, jarring of the plunger, air c rrents, and other causes, these adhering particles fall from the plunger after re- .tobacco being unnecessarily wasted. Furthermore, the tobacco, being of a spongy nature, does not retain its compressed position after withdrawal of the plunger, particularly if the container is subjected to jarring or rough handling, but rather tends to rise above the level to which the same is pressed by the plunger, thus necessitating larger containers for a given quantity of tobacco. Additionally, it becomes necessary to handle the container in an upright position to prevent spilling of the contents until a bottom closure is secured in place.

In order to obviate such contamination and wastage, to counteract the sponge action ofthe tobacco with the attendant disadvantages, and to render it possible to handle or support the container in any desirable position during the subsequent steps of inserting and sealing'a permanent closure member therein, the method of the present invention includes the step 'of inserting a secondary closure member into the container in a novel manner simultaneously with the packing operation. Said step is preferably carried out in the manner illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 wherein the container ill, in addition to being supported by a platform 33, 'is also positioned and supported by chucks 34 and 35 which have ribs adapted to coact with grooves 13 and I3, respectively. Shield 25 is held against downward movement and in a central position with respect to body ill by .a plate 36. A fiat closure member 31, having substantially the same dimensions as the inner periphery of body in and hence the same as the opening therein, is supported by a plate 33 in a position directly above the open end of said body and belowa plunger 39, said supporting plate having an opening therein of sufflcient size to accommodate the plunger.

Plunger 39 is shaped similarly to body I and shield 25, but the dimensions thereof are slightly less than the inner dimensions of said shield so that the same may be reciprocated there- .through. The lower or operating face of said plunger is in effect convex along both its longer and shorter dimensions, sa'id facebeingpreferably formed by a longitudinal rib 49, the ends of which 'curve downwardly. toward the center of the plunger from the rounded ends of the latter and by' a plurality of laterally extending arcuate ribs 4i of which there arepreferably two that taper downwardly toward the center from the straight parallel sides of the plunger. When plunger 39, which operates in a, guide 42,'is moved downwardly either by manual-or power means, closure 31' is pushed thereby through the opening in plate 38 and into shield '25. Said closure, being larger than the inner periphery of shield 25, is forced to assume a curved contour corresponding to the lower surface of ribs 40, 4|, such curvature, however, being insufficient to break down the fibers of the closure card and impair the inherent resiliency thereof, but suflicient, on the other hand, to. permit the same to enter shield 25-without formin a flange at the outer edge thereof. The lower outer corner of the .edge of said closure bears against the walls of shield 25 with sufficient force to act as a scraper, thereby insuring that every particle of tobacco or other commodity will be carried downwardly into the container. I

It will be apparent that the downward movement of plunger 39 with member 31 acting as the operative face thereof is effective topack material 23' in body .10. 'When the edges of closure 31 reach a; plane below ribs 14, which are reinforced during the packlng operation by chuck 34, plunger 39 is withdrawn. The edges of said closure thereupon engage the lower angular portions I8 of ribs i4 and, by reason of the natural resiliency of the material, of member 31, assisted in the present instance by the sponge action of the tobacco, the center of said closure is sprung upwardly until the same assumes a substantially flat position, as seen in Fig. 5. Member 31 thus serves not only as a temporary operating face for packing plunger 39 to prevent the adherence of tobacco particleson the latter-and as a scraper for the walls'of shield 25, but also as a secondary closure which holds the tobacco or other filling material in packed condition in body l0 and permits handling of the latter in any de-. sirable position before and during the insertion of the permanent closure. This latter advantage is of importance due to the fact that the machinery for inserting and sealing 'the permanent head or bottom closure in the container may be greatly simplified if the operation can be carried out while the container is supported in a horizontal rather than a vertical position. Additionally, closure 31 prevents any of the filling material from being thrown out against the walls of margin i5 after shield 25 is removed and contaminating the thermoplastic lacquer or other adhesive thereon or lodging on ribsi4.

The next and final'steps of the method of the invention consist in inserting a flanged closure member 43 in the openend of body I0 against ribs l4, flowing the marginal portion i5 into interlocking relation with the flange 44 of closure 43, and applying heat and lateral pressure to the interlocked marginal portion and flange to activate the thermoplastic adhesive lacquer between the engaging surface of the interlocked plies, which adhesive has been protected byshield 25 and closure 91 against contamination, and press the activated lacquer into the interstices of the materials constituting said body and closure, thereby substantially welding the plies together and forming a fluid and air tight seal. Closures 43, 44 and I9, 29 may both be inserted and secured in body ID in substantially the same man! ner by any suitable apparatus such, for example, as that shown and described in my copending application Serial No. 53,722, filed December 10, 1935. A method and apparatus for fabricating the container body are also disclosed in said prior filed application.

There is thus provided a container and novel closure means therefor and also a novel method andmeans whereby a material may be readily and inexpensively packed andsealed in said container in an air and fluid tight manner with a minimum ofwastage during the filling and packing operations. In the packaging of certain types of materials, i. e. those which tend to expand when released after exercise of pressure thereon. the novel container and method of the present. invention permit the packing of a larger quantity of said materials in a given container method of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be expressly understood. that other sizes, shapesand forms of. containers and closures therefor may be employed and that various changes may be made in the apparatusherein described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. The method of the present invention is of special utility in packaging tobacco, such as highly cased pipe tobacco.

5 the tobacco is easily sifted into the pipe or hand,

' m of the limits of the invention.

due to the manner in which the package is filled, and it is unnecessary for the user to probe the tobacco out with his finger. Reference is had primarily to the appended claims for a definition Whatis claimed is:

1. The method of packaging material which consists in fabricating an open ended container having an internal rib in the side wall adjacent the open end thereof, filling the container with said material, and inserting a closure member therein having dimensions substantially equal to the inner periphery of said container to a posi-' tion. whereby the same will be held against removal by said internal rib.

2. The method of packaging material which consists in fabricating an open ended container" having an internal rib in the side wall adjacent the open end thereof, filling the container with said material, inserting a secondary closure member therein having dimensions substantially equal to the inner periphery of said container to a position whereby the same will be held therein by said internal rib, placing a fianged closure in said open end exterior of said secondary closure,

and adhesively joining the flange of said closure and the marginal portion of said container.

3. The hereindescribed method of packaging material in an open ended container having in as ternal ribs in the side wall adjacent-the "open end thereof and a marginal portion between the ribs and the edge of the container which consists in placing a shield in the open end of said container to cover the inner walls of said marthe material through said shield, inserting a secondary closure through said shield to a plane below said ribs whereby the same is held against withdrawal, removing said shield, and securing a permanent closure in said open end exterior of said secondary closure. Y

4. The hereindescribed method of filling and sealing an open. ended container body having an internal beadin the side wall thereof which consists in filling said container with material to be packaged; placing a secondary closure in the open end of the container body in a position to be held therein by said internal bead, placing another closure in said open end of the container body, and interlocking the edges of said lastnamed closureand the container body to permanently s'ecuresaid last-named closure therein.

5. A fibrous container filled with material to be preserved having an internal rib in the side wall adjacent the end of the body thereof through which said material was inserted, a secondary.

closure held against removal from the body by ,said rib, and a permanent closure in said end seated on said rib and united with the container 05 by means of a closure seam formed by the interlocked edges of said permanent closure and the container body.

6. A'fibrous container filled with material to be preserved comprising a container body having 0 an internal rib in the side wall thereof adjacent the end through which the material was inserted, a flat closure in said end having substantially the same dimensions and surface area as a cross section of said container and being held against the inner side of said rib by said material,

When the container is opened,

ginal portion, filling the container by pouring and a flanged closure in said end seated on the outer side of saidrib and united with the container walls by a thermoplastic adhesive.

'7. The method of packaging material in'an .open ended container having an internal bead in the side wall adjacent the open end thereof which includes filling the container with said material,

-and simultaneously compressing said material and inserting a flat closure-of the same size and outline as said openend to a plane below said head while holding said container by means hav-' 'ing a portion extending into a groove complementary to said internal bead.

' 8. The method of packaging material in an open ended container having an internal bead -in the side wall adjacent the open end thereof which consists in filling the container with said material, simultaneously. compressing said material and inserting a flat closure member of the same size and outline as said open end to a plane below said ribs, placing a flanged closure member in said open end, and permanently securing I said flanged closure member to the container wall.

9. The method of packaging material which consists -in fabricating a container having an open end, treating the inner walls of the marginal. portion of the container adjacent the open end thereof with a thin dry film of thermoplastic adhesive, filling said containerwhile shielding said treated .wall portion, placing a flanged closure in said open end, and joining thereto. v

'10. The method ofpackaging material which consists in fabricating a container having an open end, treating the inner-walls of the marginal portion of thecontainer adjacent the open end thereof with a thin. dry film of thermoplastic adhesive, filling the container with said the flan e of said closure and said treated wall rportion by the applicationof heat and pressure material while shielding said treated wall'por- .into the container through a shieldtelescopically received by the marginal portion of the open end of said container between said end and'bead,

and simultaneously packing said material in said container and inserting a fiat closure therein, the inner surface of said closure being-in contact with said material and held against removal from the container by said bead.

12. The method of filling and closing an open ended container having an internal bead'in the side wali'adjacent the open end thereof which consists in injecting the material to be packaged into the container through a shield telescopically received bythe open end of said container, simultaneously packing said material in said container and inserting a fiat closure therein, the inner surface of said closure being in contact with said material and held against removal from the container by said bead, placing a flanged head in said open end, and securing the flange of the head and the wall of saidbody to one another.

13. The method of packaging material which 'conslsts in fabricating an open ended container having an external groove and aninternal rib complementary to'said groove, holdingsaid container externally by means cooperating with said a groove, filling the container with said material,

and inserting'a flat closure in the container below said rib, said closure being of the same size and outline as the open end of said container.

inserting a flat I ing a flanged closure in said open end, and interlocking the marginal portion of said container and the flange of said flanged closure.

15. In apparatusior packing materials in an open ended container, the combination of a tubular shield having the same shape as the container and adapted to telescopically received thereby,

means for supporting said shield centrally oi the open endof said container, means for supporting a closure for said container, a plunger movable through said shield to simultaneously compress said material and move said closure through the shield into the container, and means exterior of said container for supporting the same, said lastnamed means having a rib adapted to cooperate with an external groove in said container.

16. The method of packaging material which consists in fabricating a container having an open end and an internal rib adjacent said end, filling the container with said material, subjectving the container to vibrations to settle said material, and simultaneously packing said material in the container and inserting a flat closure member therein having dimensions substantially equal to the inner periphery of said container to a position whereby the same will be in contact with said material and held against removal by said internal rib.

GEORGE ARLINGTON MOORE. 

